Portable eire basket



Dec. 15, 1925- J. B. RATHMELL PORTABLE FI RE BASKET rizinal Filed Nov. 1923 Patented Dec. 15, 1925.

UNITED "STATES rsealss PATENT -orrrcs1.

JOHN B. RATHMELL, OF 'CHATTANOOGA, TENNESSEE.

PORTABLE FIRE BASKET.

Application fi1edNovember12, 1923, Serial No. 674,346. Renewed November 9, 1925.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN B. RATHMELL, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Chattanooga, in the county of Hamilton and State of 'lennessee,'have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Portable Fire'Baskets; and I do hereby declare that the followingis a full, clear, concise, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled to provide a portable fire basket of such novel construction as will permit the same to be quickly and easily assembled and disassembled, including but two principal members having fastening or securing devices thereon whereby they may be connected in rigid relation.

It is likewise an object of the invention to provide a fire basket wherein the members thereof are so formed and constructed as to permit their packingor shipment with but a minimum amountof effort and space, and in consequence, avoiding overhead expenditures. in this direction upon part of the manufacturer or shipper.

Manufacturers and. shippers of various products or devices are especially concerned, in manufacturing or selling products, to have the same include the least possible number of parts, it being obvious that products or devices comprising a number of parts or sections become burdensome, both from a stand-point of operating efficiency and finances, .in packing or shipment or assembly. In the now prevalent types of portable fire baskets, the constructions embody six or more pieces which must be assembled if the devices are to be so shipped or if. they are to beshipped in sections, must. be packed or crate'd according to requirements of the particular transportation concern to receive them; further, if shipped disassembled, they must be assembled when placed for sale by the retailer. Such. handling entails considerable time and expense. and therefore, it will be appreciated. that in my novel form of portable fire basket, these disadvantages are eliminated and likewise, the mode of securing the members of the basket in assembled relation is such as to. aiforda solid and rigid device.

Other objects of the-invention will be in part obvious, and in part pointed out hereinafter. a

".In order that the invention and its-mode of operation maybe readily understood by persons skilled in'the art, I'have. in the accompanying illustrative drawings, and in thedetailed following description based thereon, set out one possible embodiment of the same.

'In'the'se drawings:

Figure 1 is afrontelevation of my.improved portable fire basket;

Figure '2 is a verticalsection through the same taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1,

looking inthe direction in which the arrows point;

Flgure 3 is an enlargedfragmentary detail in perspective showing the construction of one of the end legs of. the basket front wall; and, I

Figure 4 is a fragmentary detail in perspective .showing the particular form of means whereby connection is effected as 'between. the basket proper and-the front wall therefor. g

Having more particular reference to the drawings, in connection with which like characters of reference will designate corresponding parts throughout, theimproved device may be statedtocomprise a' basket 'propeninidicated in, its entirety by the numerall, such basket being of slotted or grated design as is clearly shown and having rearward and side walls 2 and 3 respectively; a gratelikelbottom t'b'eing provided the basketan'd having its point of jointure with the rearward Wall 2 thereof curved, as is indicated at 5. .The front ofthe. basket 1 is open, while the front marginal portions of the opposite side walls 3 thereof are formed with downwardly disposed substantially right angularly shaped fingers 6, shoulders 7 being formed upon the adjacent portions of saidside walls as indicated in the Figure 4. i

A front, wall is provided the basket and may be stated to comprise a substantially rectangularly shaped frame indicated by the numeral 8 having the body portion thereof .made .up of a plurality of relatively spaced in this connection that such design may be varied, to any extent, as conditions or preference may dictate. Legs 10 are formed or arranged upon the opposite end of the frame 8 and are of channeled construction, as clearly shown in the Figure 3, suitable ornaments ll, if desired, being arranged upon their upper ends, while substantially horizontally arranged apertured plates or brackets 12 are formed integral with the upper portions of said legs and within the cl annels thereof, as is also shown in the Figure 3. Also, an inwardly disposed and substantially right angularly extending lug i3 is formed upon the intermediate portion of the lower side of the rectangularly shaped frame 8 and is adapted, with assei'nblying of the basket construction, to be aligned with an opening formed in the forward portion f the bottom of the basket 1 whereby a bolt or other suitable fastening device i l maybe passed through the same and con nection thus effected as between the front wall and the basket proper.

In assemblying the improved basket, the front wall with its several legs 10 is arranged adjacent the open forward side of the bas ket proper 1 and since said front wall is of a width slightly greater than the width of the basket proper 1, the downwardly disposed right angularly formed lingers 6 may be readily engaged in the openings of the horizontally positioned bracket plates 12 arranged in the channeled portions of the legs 10, as is shown in the Figure 2. Vhth the fingers engaged in the apertured bracket plates 12, tl e lower portion of the front wall is moved into engagement with the adjacent portion of the bottom of the basket, whereupon the lug 18 has the opening therein aligned with the opening formed in the bottom of the basket, at which time a bolt or other suitable fastening device is pa sed therethrough. Thus, it will be understood that positive connection as between the basket proper 1 and the front wall therefor will be effected merely by the use of a single fastening device, namely, the bolt 14. The downwardly hooked fingers t serve as effectual means for securely conmeeting the front wall at its opposite sides to the open front of the basket and in consequence, will prevent relative movement as between these two members.

To support the rearward portion of the basket proper 1, a leg 15 is provided, and has a curved bracket arm 16 arranged upon its upper end. This curved arm 16 corresponds to the curvature of the portion 5 of the basket proper and in consequence, snugly receives the same therein, whereupon a bolt or similar fastening device 17 is passed through a suitably located opening in the bottom 4 of the basket proper and Llnough an opening formed in the lower portion of the bracket 16. In this way, displacement of the leg 15 with respect to the basket will be avoided and furthermore, an effectual support will be afforded the rearward portion thereof.

From the foregoing, it will be understood that l have provided a simple but highly efficientform of portable fire basket. The device by reason of its exceedingly simplified construction may be quickly and easily assembled or disassembled, as may be required, and furthermore, because of the minimum number of parts thereof, it is to be understood and appreciated that the device may be conveniently crated or otherwise packed for shipment. Should a number of the devices be shipped, as from a manufacturer, the baskets proper 1 may be arranged in nested relation whereas the front walls may be similarly arranged. Thus, but a minimum amount of space will be required for the mei'nbers and furthermore, they may be so secureo as to comply with all requirements of the transportation company receiving the same. The legs 15 may be readily detached from their respective bottom por tions of the basket proper and tied or otherwise secured in convenient portions of the basket, or if it is desired, to portions of the front wall.

It is to be expressly understood that the particular form of connection as between the open front of the basket proper 1 and the end wall thereof may be varied considerably. For example, the fingers 6 may be formed upon the adjacent portions of the legs 10, whereas the apertured bracket plates 12 or similar forms of keepers or receiving devices may be arranged upon the forward portions of the opposite side walls 3 of the basket proper 1. Various other modifications of the fastening devices may be resorted to without in any way deviating from the scope or spirit of the invention, it being borne in mind that the vital and underlying feature of the invention resides in the provision of a portable fire basket comprising but aminimum number of parts, which parts are so arranged as to facilitate and expedite packing, shipping and assemblying of the devices.

I claim:

1. A portable fire-basket comprising a basket proper having an open front, a wall for said open front having inwardly disposed apertured brackets upon the opposite end portions thereof, the adjacent marginal portions of the side walls of said basket proper having hooked arms formed thereupon engageable in said apertured brackets in a manner to prevent outward and upward movement of said front wall with respect to the fire-basket proper, and means upon the lower portion of said front wall engag'eable with an adjacent portion of the bottom of the fire-basket proper for additionally securing the same against lateral and vertical movement with respect to such fire-basket proper.

2. A portable fire basket comprising a basket proper having an open front, a wall for said open front, legs arranged upon the opposite ends of said wall, horizontally disposed apertured bracket plates supported by said legs, and downwardly disposed substantially right angularly formed fingers arranged upon the forward portions of the opposite side walls of said basket engageable in said bracket plates, as and for the purpose set forth.

3. A portable fire basket comprising a basket proper having an open front, a wall for said open front, legs arranged upon the opposite ends of said wall, means upon adjacent portions of the opposite side walls of said basket and said legs interengageable whereby to effect connection as between the same, and other means carried upon the low er side of the intermediate portion of said wall engageable with an adjacent portion of the forward end of the basket bottom.

4L. A portable fire basket comprising a basket proper having an open front, a wall for said open front, legs for said wall upon the opposite ends thereof, horizontally positioned apertured bracket plates arranged within said legs, downwardly disposed right angularly formed fingers arranged upon the upper end of the outer marginal portion of the side walls of said basket adapted to be engaged in said apertured bracket plates, an apertured lug extending inwardly from the intermediate portion of the lower side of said wall and adapted to be connected to an adjacent portion of the bottom of said basket proper, and means for supporting the rearward portion of said basket detachably connected thereto. I

A portable fire-basket comprising a basket proper having an open front, a wall for said open front, legs integral with the opposite ends of said wall of shell-like formation, horizontally positioned apertured bracket plates formed integral with-and ar ranged in the upper portion of said legs, downwardly disposed right angularly formed fingers formed integral with the upper ends of the outer marginal portions of the side walls of said basket proper adapted 'to be engaged in said apertured plates and to have bearing thereupon, an apertured lug extending inwardly from the intermediate portion of the lower side of said wall adapted to be connected to an adjacent portion of the bottom of the fire-basket proper, and

means removably connected to the rearward.

portion of the basket bottom for supporting the same.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

JOHN B. RATHMELL. 

